A camouflaged prototype believed to be the Kia Cerato GT has been spied in South Korea this week, ahead of an Australian launch later this year.

Posted on social media, the images shows a new-generation Kia Cerato sedan – known in its home market as the K3 – featuring a mismatched rear bumper finish and dual exhaust outlets protruding from the diffuser-style rear apron treatment.

According to overseas reports, the number plates on this vehicle signify a test vehicle due to the two red stripes painted across the numbers.

It's believed the new Cerato GT – which has already been confirmed to headline the Australian range later this year – will draw power from the same 150kW/265Nm 1.6-litre turbo four as the related Hyundai i30 SR. However, it's unclear whether the Cerato GT will offer both a six-speed manual and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, or just the latter.